The Dragon Conqueror
by thepurplewriter333
Summary: AU. Hiccup shot down a Monstrous Nightmare instead of Toothless that night, and he killed it. Years later, he's been crowned "The Dragon Conqueror" with just one mission left: hunt down and slay the Night Fury once and for all. Meanwhile, Valka decides it just might be time to come home. Requested by TheWizardRider. [ABANDONED]
1. Ensnared

**A/N: Hey, guys! Yes, I'm back with another story. And I'd like to send a big thanks out to** **TheWizardRider** **who requested this wonderful idea, so let's give her a big hand! *claps wildly* And go check out her stories, they're awesome. :) Well, without further adieu, (and so I won't give you any spoilers :P) I bring you…. "The Dragon Conqueror"!**

 **DISCLAIMER: Story requested by the amazing, the awesome, and the incredible** **TheWizardRider** **! And beta'd by the wonderful animalsarepeopletoo. :) (because I'm too lazy to edit myself :D)**

* * *

 **Chapter One: Ensnared**

It was all because of those mild calibration issues, really.

 _The cannon should have worked for Gobber,_ Hiccup thought angrily as he raced through town with said bola cannon being pushed in front of him, occasionally greeted with the familiar yells of, "What are you doing out here again?" and "Get back inside!"

Hiccup brushed the comments off, returning to his tangled thoughts. If the cannon _had_ worked in the first place, he wouldn't have had to left the forge at all. He could have still been safely inside, assisting Gobber with sharpening weapons and such while being hailed a hero for his mechanical achievements. But of course, nothing had went as planned.

As usual.

Hiccup felt bitterness swarm throughout himself as he got closer to the lone hill he was headed for, eyes filling with both anger and determination. If he could just get a clean shot now and shoot down a dragon- really any dragon at all, even a _Terrible Terror_ , for Thor's sake- then everything would change. He'd finally have a place in his tribe, he'd be respected, acknowledged, and maybe even his father would communicate with him more than a disappointed scowl and a list of everything he had done wrong. Not to mention public humiliation.

Yes... Hiccup could picture it all perfectly now… it could all happen if he shot down a dragon. Well... only if he shot down a dragon and _killed_ it...

The boy narrowed his emerald eyes into the black void of sky and stars that rested in front of him, fingers caressing the handle of the cannon anxiously as he came to a sudden halt upon the hill. "Come on, give me something to shoot at, give me something to shoot at," he murmured, words almost turning to a litany of pleads.

But the silence still remained in the cool air, and Hiccup had just begun to slump over in defeat when his downcast thoughts were interrupted by a dragon's roar. He stiffened, eyes now deadlocked on the sky. Where was it, where was it...

 _There._

He could see a faint black dragon soaring with ease beside the countless stars up ahead… practically _waiting_ to be shot down... shot down by _him_. A sign of Fate Itself, for sure.

With a grim smile, Hiccup wet his lips in determination and decided to wait until the dragon came closer into sight before shooting. A few tentative moments passed, and then finally… he saw it. The dragon. No, not 'the' dragon... it was _the_ dragon. _The Great Night Fury_. Deadliest dragon in the whole archipelago. Offspring of Lightning and Death itself... It was too far away to see too clearly now, but he could still make the outline out of the dragon, nonetheless.

Not able to wait any longer, he quickly pulled down on the lever of his machine that would release his bolas into the sky and take down the dragon... the bolas that would give him everything he had ever wished for...

...only to have his soaring weapons hit the side of a passing Monstrous Nightmare instead of the original target. He nearly cursed as the dragon fell to the ground with a resounding _thud_. The Night Fury remained unharmed, and soon faded as quickly as it had materialized.

After being thrown backwards from the powerful blast, Hiccup sat up and got to his knees to see what had happened. His thudding heart nearly stopped when he saw the Monstrous Nightmare he had shot down struggling in the grass not even ten feet away, shrieking and thrashing against the tight bonds that tied its wings and sides together.

Hiccup could hardly believe it.

 _A Monstrous Nightmare. A dragon that only the best Vikings went after. Only the_ best.

And he had just taken one down.

Hiccup felt a chill of pride trickle up his spine, and he shakily stood from his kneeling position to inspect the Nightmare once more. Was this even real? He'd only dreamed about this in his most wonderful fantasies... the best daydreams... He rubbed his eyes, then looked over it again. Yes, it was still there, caught in the boy's own invention. If no one respected him now, they'd be declared mad. But the very concept that a runt like him had taken down a dragon so big like this was still shocking, and he shook his head in an attempt to clear his thoughts.

"I did it." His words were quiet and said slowly, more in disbelief than in realization, yet they were still there. "I did it…" His eyes widened as he processed what this revelation meant all over again, and he almost yelled in triumph. "Oh, sweet gods above... this fixes everything… yes!" Hiccup allowed a grin to come to his face, but it quickly vanished when the dragon before him roared painfully. "No; calm down," he urged, drawing his sharp, silver knife from his pocket, and holding it out in front of him defensively. "It'll be over soon. Just calm d-"

 _Snap!_

One of the bolas was torn apart at the beast's struggling, and it slipped down into the muddy grass soon after. Hiccup's next words caught in his throat at the horrifying sight. He couldn't even choke out a gasp or a scream for help. He only managed a pathetic, _"Gods above..."_

 _Snap!_

The second bond was ripped away too.

Which meant...

That only left one more.

Hiccup, cowering in fright, knew he should stay to fight the Nightmare like a true Viking would- as a Viking like himself _should_ -, but before he knew it, his skinny legs were carrying him far across the moonlit landscape, heart pounding with a fear he had never quite felt before.

From behind him, he heard the last bola that ensnared the powerful Nightmare go as well, leaving the dragon free to fly away and escape. Or worse: _come after him._

Hiccup prayed to the gods that it wouldn't follow him, but it seemed that luck, as always, was not on his side. He heard the furious pounding of footsteps as the Monstrous Nightmare chased him down the hill, and his throat at last allowed him to release a scream in hopes someone would hear him.

The Nightmare roared, getting closer to him... and closer... and even closer-

When suddenly Hiccup was knocked over on his side in the wet grass, pinned down by one of the Nightmare's impossibly huge paws. Talons enclosed around him in what felt like a cage, and he could hardly breathe from the new anxiety that had arrived.

He was going to die. There was no doubt about it now. Die because of a foolish hope that he could kill a dragon.

" _Hiccup!"_

The boy, more desperate than ever, used the last of his strength to turn his head to the left where he saw his alarmed yet exasperated father, the Chief of Berk approaching. His green eyes widened, and he urgently opened his mouth to speak. "No, Dad, stay away!" he screamed, trying to fumble for a grip on his knife. "Just stay away! I can do this myself! I'm okay!"

More warriors arrived at his father Stoick's side, all freezing in shock at the sight of their young heir being pinned to the ground by one of the most deadly dragons in the archipelago. Hiccup tried to give them all reassurance that he was trying to get away as best as he could- he truly was, with all of his might-, but the idea of calling them all over to help him free was getting more and more tempting by the second. Especially as he looked at those devilish slits of eyes, furious and sadistic...

 _No,_ some aggressive part of him snapped to himself. He finally grasped his fallen knife from the ground. _If they help you now, you'll never get a chance to prove yourself again. Someone may get hurt because of you, and you'll be blamed. This is your chance, Hiccup. Don't screw it up like you always do._

 _Gee,_ Hiccup thought back sarcastically. _Isn't that helpful?_

The Nightmare above him gave another raging roar, its talons slowly lowering against Hiccup's heaving chest. The boy let out a cry of pain from the pressure, but he didn't give up. No. He would die, he knew, some time or another. Everyone did. He would most definitely perish...

...but not tonight. Maybe he'd die tomorrow, perhaps next week, or even a month from now. But not tonight.

Hiccup tightened his grip on his knife as he heard the worried shouts of Vikings nearby, and he sensed the dragon above him was preparing to make its kill. His father was running towards him now, axe raised in fear for his son. But even he knew he wouldn't make it in time.

The boy let out a sharp breath. It was now or never. He had to strike before someone besides him got hurt. It was time to be brave. It was time to be... _a Viking._

" _Aaaggghhh!"_ he bellowed, raising his knife and sinking it into the Monstrous Nightmare's giant paw. The dragon whined, pulling the wounded area slightly off of Hiccup in reflex. It gave Hiccup enough time to climb up from the dirt, jump away from the Nightmare's grasp, and raise his dagger in defense.

 _This is it, Hiccup. Do it now. DO IT NOW!_

Eyes tightly closed, Hiccup whimpered... and he plunged his weapon into the Nightmare's crimson chest before the dragon could do anything about it.

Quietness as sharp as broken glass filled the air for two heart-stopping seconds of panic... and then the mighty dragon let out a bone chilling scream of agony and sorrow, causing all the nearby Viking warriors to clap hands over their ears to block the sound out.

Blood leaked out of the stab wound. Far too much was coming out at once. Too much for the owner of the laceration to be saved. The Monstrous Nightmare roared weakly as it collapsed to the ground, paws weakly twitching next to a panting Hiccup. The boy was bent over, hands clutching his knees in support while his bloodied knife fell to the ground, like it was signifying the completion of his mission.

The silence returned.

After a minute of only tension and muteness, someone finally spoke: Stoick the Vast.

"Son."

Hiccup looked up in a hurry, back straightening as he once again stood up. His father was coming towards him, face expressionless and movements slow.

"Yeah?" Hiccup rasped, surprised to hear his voice quaking so much. He hadn't realized how much of a scare nearly being killed was, and suddenly he noticed that his arms and legs were trembling all over. He swallowed.

Stoick stopped walking as soon he reached his boy, face at last melting into something that looked like anger. "You left the forge," he said gruffly, rolling back his shoulders to puff out his chest. "You disobeyed my- and Gobber's- orders. What do you have to say for yourself?"

Hiccup could not help but let his form sag a little bit at his father's sharp tone, disappointed that he hadn't proved himself at the feat of killing the Nightmare. "I'm sorry," he muttered, his foot rubbing an invisible spot in the dirt. "I-I-I didn't mean to disobey you… I-I just… I… I wanted to make my mark, but I guess I-I..."

Then his father laughed. It was a hearty chuckle, ringing loud and clear out of his throat despite the gray mood around.

Face twitching with confusion, Hiccup squinted up at his father. "You're not… mad?"

Stoick let out a boom of chuckles again, slapping a hand around Hiccup's shoulder and pulling the boy to his side. "Of course not, lad! You killed a _dragon_! And a Nightmare, nonetheless! Even I have trouble with those, and look at you, stabbing one in a single try! I couldn't believe it at first, but now… oh, what a feeling!"

 _I wouldn't say it's a_ good _feeling,_ Hiccup thought miserably. He then noticed more Berkians coming towards him, now looking in his direction with admiration instead of the hate.

"Did he kill that Nightmare by himself?" he heard someone whisper in a loud voice.

"I think he did," a woman answered back, equally as surprised. "Can you believe it? Hiccup did..."

 _"Hiccup?_ You're teasin'!"

"No, no, it's Stoick's boy, alright... he took down a _Nightmare._ I always said he was headed for greatness, didn't I?"

Hiccup spotted the other teens on Berk in the growing crowd, all watching him with wide, curious eyes. Astrid's expression even revealed that even she was at least slightly impressed with Hiccup's mighty feat, which caused the boy to straighten his back more.

When he looked back up at his enthralled father, he saw that the chief was beaming. "My son has done it!" he called out to the approaching Hooligans. "He's killed his first dragon, a _Monstrous Nightmare,_ even though he's, well… himself!" His words provoked a wave of knowledgeable chuckles throughout the Vikings, and they all shared amused looks. "And now, no one could be more surprised..." Stoick's voice dropped slightly, now full of emotion. "...or more _proud_ , than I am."

Hiccup noticeably reddened at his father's speech, but he puffed out his chest anyways. He felt sick, though, when he cast a glance over to the dead Nightmare dragon, ignored in the frenzy of the situation. _He had killed a dragon. He was a murderer._

Hiccup swallowed thickly. _I didn't have a choice. It was a life or death situation. What was I_ supposed _to do…?_

"Now, son!" Stoick clamped a hand down on Hiccup's shoulder, almost causing the boy to fall over from the force. "Is there anything you'd like to say to your tribe?" He gestured to the crowd with a meaty hand.

After a poor laugh, Hiccup allowed himself to nod. "Uh, sure." He cleared his aching throat, which was still sore from his past yells. "I guess, I… I…" He began to stutter, almost cursing himself for being so weak. _He shouldn't be giving a speech right now!_ He should have been off fighting other dragons, keeping Berk safe. Wasn't that what being a Viking was all about?"

Stoick smiled, patting Hiccup's arm. "It's all right, son. Don't be shy."

"Yeah, yeah, I know, Dad," Hiccup murmured, eyes now downcast. What was there left to say? _I'm glad I could become a murderer just to save my tribe and my life, and I'll definitely do it again even though I didn't enjoy it?_ He chewed on his bottom lip, looking back up. "I guess I'll just say… um… I'm glad I could help."

"Don't be modest, son!" Stoick boomed. "Nightmare's are fierce and deadly dragons. Even grown men, such as myself, have trouble with them. But you-"

Hiccup cut him off sharply, not wanting to listen anymore. He was tired of it. Sure, he had killed a dragon, but everyone else did that too. _It's because I'm a runt,_ he thought, scowling. _They're just all surprised that their useless heir could actually do something for once… I'm still nothing special…_

"The Night Fury is still out there, Dad," he interrupted, tone warning. " _He's_ the dragon we need to go after. _He's_ the dragon that needs to be killed. Killing a Nightmare won't fix any of that!"

An almost-hungry look flashed across his father's eyes, and the chief nodded, brow furrowing. "It appears so, son… but I know, someday soon, you'll be the one to kill it, now won't you?" When a timid Hiccup did not answer, Stoick raised an eyebrow. "Right, lad? It's your duty to your people."

 _Sure. I'll kill another dragon, Dad. I'll be yet another murderer of this tribe._

"Fine."

A huge grin broke upon Stoick's face, and once again he turned back to the anxious crowd. "My son, your pride and heir, has just vowed to kill the Night Fury! The deadliest dragon of them all!" A hushed silence fell over the Hooligans, and Hiccup wasn't sure if it was in shock or in awe. Stoick continued, "My Hiccup will now become the next Dragon Conqueror, the one who will rid us from yet another deadly dragon. And he won't rest until he kills it once and for all!"

Hiccup coughed into his fist. "Yeah," he agreed, words half-hearted. He still felt nauseous from killing the Monstrous Nightmare, and the sudden news of becoming this new 'Dragon Conqueror' wasn't making anything better.

But... he had to please his father.

He had to please his tribe.

He had to please them all.

"I promise you," the boy began slowly, picking out his next words with extreme care. He was the Heir of Berk. The new Dragon Conqueror. The one who would get rid of the most ruthless dragon in the archipelago. "I will save Berk from dragons once and for all. I will hunt down and kill the elusive Night Fury, and I will at last find the Dragon Nest. At no costs will I stop fighting for you. Because someday I will be your chief, and a chief protects his own."

The crowd erupted into cheers, and Hiccup caught Astrid's watchful eye in the midst of the comment. She crossed her arms in a motion that clearly said, _I don't care about any of this,_ but she didn't remove her gaze. Hiccup grinned. That was _something,_ after all.

Stoick, nearly bursting with pride by then, raised one fist in the air while the other was placed behind his son's back. "My son... _the Dragon Conqueror!"_ he shouted.

"The Dragon Conqueror!" the crowd echoed, cheering again.

"The Dragon Conqueror," Hiccup whispered, unsure of whether to be happy or angry with the powerful title. Unbeknownst to him, he had just been dragged into something far bigger than he had ever imagined, with a vow to kill the deadliest, quickest, and most intelligent dragon in the world. There was no backing out of it now.

Suddenly, Hiccup felt a chilly hand grip his palm. Startled, he turned to see the sour old man, Mildew, creeping up next to him. He lived on a hill far away from the village just because he was so... so _impossible_ to deal with.

"Not bad, not bad at all, my boy," he hissed, offering a yellow smile. He shook Hiccup's hand again. "Yeh've finally done somethin' right. Believe it or not, I'm _proud_ of yeh!"

"Yeah...," said Hiccup nervously, a little unnerved at Mildew's behavior. "Just doing my job."

Mildew nodded with a sick grin. "Bet yeh can't wait to start killin' dragons again, can yeh? The little pests need to be totally _exterminated._.. somethin' we can both agree on, 'Iccup."

"Actually, I-" Hiccup began, but with another look at Mildew, he decided not to tell the older man that he didn't really _want_ to kill dragons. "...couldn't agree more," he finished instead, then turned to his father. "W-we better get back to killing dragons then, right Dad?" Hiccup asked, and to his surprise, not really wishing to get more attention than he had already received. Meanwhile, Mildew crept back into the ground, watching Hiccup with elated yet almost evil gray eyes.

Stoick looked up at the star-filled sky, which was slowly being transformed into dawn's first light. He rubbed his chin thoughtfully, glancing around. "It seems that all this commotion has scared the dragons off!" he laughed, words directed to the other Hooligans more than to Hiccup. "Which is all the same, as I think killing a Monstrous Nightmare is plenty for one night for you."

Hiccup nodded, but his thoughts were running a mile a minute as he thought back to his new position. There was just one question left: _Now what?_ Nothing would be the same on Berk anymore. He'd surely no longer be looked upon as "useless", but now respected, admired, appreciated.

But, no matter what, change was coming to the island of Berk.

And Hiccup wasn't even sure if it was good or bad yet.

All he knew was that, to get out of this mess, he'd have to kill the renowned Night Fury. Only then would he be released from the responsibility that gripped him. Only then.

 _Kill another innocent to be free._

 _You could be free, Hiccup, if you get rid of that dragon._

The boy narrowed his eyes, looking back down at the bloodied dagger which rested beside his left foot. He wanted to be free more than anything right now. He didn't care about repercussions. He just wanted to be himself. No Dragon Conqueror. It wasn't who he was.

But unfortunately, fate didn't quite take that into account. He was stuck.

"I'll kill the Night Fury, then," Hiccup whispered, giving a quick nod. "I'll kill it to save Berk... and kill it to save myself."

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 **A/N: And there's chapter one. Hiccup's killed his first dragon, a Nightmare, and now even his father is impressed… yes, indeed, change is coming to Berk now that Hiccup is the Dragon Conqueror.** **You'll have to see next time how much change is coming to Berk. ;D** **Anyways, thanks so much for reading guys! And it would be awesome to see what you all think of this so far, so if you could leave a review, even if it is simply "asdfghjkl", I'd be very happy to hear it. :)**

 **Updates will be weekly, so I guess I'll see you folks next Saturday. Until next time, my lovely munchkins! :P Hope you're liking the story so far! It's about to get real interesting... *cracks knuckles***

 **-thepurplewriter333**


	2. Sealed

**A/N: Hello there, my fine fellows. It's wonderful to see you all again! Yes, yes, I know this chapter's pretty late today, but I worked really hard on getting it up, so please do forgive me. It's been a really, really hard day. I'm exhausted, and that's an understatement. :/ And I can't apologize enough about how shorter than usual this chapter is. But next chapter, I promise, will be longer. Anywho, enough about that... we'll get back to The Dragon Conqueror now. :)**

 **DISCLAIMER: Story requested by the amazing, the awesome, and the incredible TheWizardRider! And beta'd by the wonderful animalsarepeopletoo. :)**

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 **Chapter Two: Sealed**

* * *

 _SIX YEARS LATER_

* * *

"It's either we finish them, or they finish us!"

Hiccup plunged his knife down furiously into the heart of the map on the table below him. He cast an angry green gaze across the room.

"We're running out of time. The raids are getting worse by the day, and we're losing more men than ever!" He sighed, removing the knife from the now torn paper. "And we're not any closer to finding the Night Fury than we were _six years ago_!"

"Hiccup." Astrid placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, giving a small smile. "It's all right. You don't need to kill the Night Fury to prove yourself to the village. You already have."

Hiccup looked away from her, his eyes falling down to the floor. "Astrid, you and I are engaged, and I want to marry you without some dragon lurking off on the coast, threatening our very survival. Plus, years ago, I made a promise to Berk to kill the Night Fury. I have to stick to my word, or then what would I be?"

"Just take it easy, son," Stoick advised from beside him, and Gobber, Snotlout, Fishlegs, Ruffnut, and Tuffnut nodded in agreement. "There's no harm in putting Berk before your promises for a little while. In fact, it may do us all some good."

"I'd listen to the Chief," Gobber added, patting the young Heir on the shoulder. "We all know you're doing your best."

"But I'm the _Dragon Conqueror_ ," Hiccup pressed, crossing his arms though he looked tired. "I promised everyone I'd find and go after the Night Fury… and that's what I've been trying to do for the last six years. I even set up an alliance with Viggo and his Hunters to try to find that beast…" He sighed, shaking his head. "If we don't stop these raids soon, there won't be any time, or any of us left to go after the Nest anymore. We've lost seven men in this past month alone!"

"Maybe we could use one of your inventions, Hiccup!" said Snotlout eagerly, and stepped up beside his cousin. "You always build just the right thing in these kind of situations."

Hiccup forced himself not to roll his eyes at Snotlout's gushing behavior. Ever since he had been crowned the Dragon Conqueror of Berk, Snotlout had suddenly switched his behavior from haughty and prideful to obedient and awe-ful around Hiccup. At first, Hiccup hadn't minded. It was actually nice having that kind of respect from someone who had despised him as much as his cousin had. But over the years, it had grown irritable and monotonous, so he had decided to avoid talking to Snotlout as much as he could.

"Yeah, maybe Gobber could build more of your bola cannons," Fishlegs suggested. "When we started using them after you shot down the Nightmare, our number of kills shot up."

Hiccup let his arms fall to his sides, and then he drummed his fingers on the table, thinking. He wished he could ask his father for advice or comfort of sorts, but he knew he couldn't. In only a few short years he would be given the leadership of the tribe, and he had to learn how to deal with these kind of problems by himself.

He said slowly, "All right. Gobber... How much more metal in the forge do we have to make more bola cannons?"

Gobber scratched his chin, expression clouded in thought. "I'd say, if we were only making bola cannons, I could build about… twenty more. But, if we still needed swords and axes and so on, I'd only be able to make… eh… twelve to thirteen."

Hiccup gave a scowl worthy of Stoick's approval. "We need more than that. Is there any way to get more metal?"

Astrid leaned into his shoulder, trying to provide some consolation. "Hiccup, we'd have to go to one of the other islands to get all the metal we need," she sighed. "You know that. And Johann hasn't been able to get any metal, either. He says that none of the islands he goes to now trades it anymore."

"But we need it!" Hiccup slammed his fist down on the splintered table, causing it to lurch up. "If we want to find the Night Fury and rid Berk of dragons, we-"

The Great Hall's old wooden doors suddenly were pushed open, causing a cold wind to blow inside. Hiccup held back a shiver, and narrowed his eyes as he looked up to see who was in the doorway. His expression relaxed. It was only some of Viggo's Hunters.

"Well? Come in, come in," he urged, if not a bit hastily. "We haven't all day."

The two Hunters marched inside, backs as straight as a line and expressions wiped clean of emotion. One of them wore a helmet which covered near half of his face, while the other held his helmet close to his side. "Dragon Conqueror, we bring news," the Hunter without the mask said once he had reached the table. "Viggo wishes to see you."

Hiccup's eyebrows lifted in surprise. "Why?"

"We do not know, Dragon Conqueror. We are but simple Hunters of his grand army, under orders to bring you to him, using force if necessary."

"Well, where is he?" Astrid cut in, pulling away from Hiccup to put a stubborn hand on her hip. "Can you at least tell us that?"

Tuffnut turned to his sister, confused. "Is that a retalktrical question?"

Ruffnut tapped her chin thoughtfully. "It could be, my dear brother. The lady Astrid is difficult to understand in her complicated words."

Hiccup gave the two a warning look to stay quiet, and then turned back to the impassive Dragon Hunters with a frown. "Yes, but why doesn't Viggo just come up to the Great Hall himself?"

The unmasked Hunter raised an eyebrow quizzically. "Dragon Conqueror, Viggo says it is urgent. He remains on his ship here, in his cabin, waiting for you." When Hiccup didn't react, he sneered. "We have also been ordered to bring you to him under any circumstances. Please, make it easier for the both of us."

After a long moment of silence, Hiccup finally nodded in agreement. "Fine. Take me to him." _This better be good, Viggo,_ he inwardly grumbled.

The Hunters nodded, beginning to move out back towards the Great Hall's doors. Hiccup stepped forward, as did Astrid, but Hiccup gently grasped her palm and shook his head. "He just wants to see me, Astrid. Stay here."

Astrid pursed her lips, shouldering her blonde braid. "Be careful, then," she murmured, and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. "Viggo said that his news is urgent, apparently, and we both know that urgent isn't always good."

Hiccup allowed himself a weak smile. "I will, and I know. I'll see you soon, milady."

And he followed the Hunters out of the doors, the barrier closing with a definite and resounding thud.

* * *

"Wonderful to see you again, Hiccup."

Hiccup lifted his head, looking up at Viggo who sat across him from the table. He still refused to speak until Viggo explained what this was all about. The older man smirked, gently caressing his chin with his fingers. "What? No warm welcome back? No inquirations on why I have ordered you brought here today?"

Hiccup remained silent.

Viggo chuckled, bringing his arms in to form a triangle with his fingers just below his mouth. "I'll just go ahead and share my news, anyways, _Dragon Conqueror_." The words were obviously full of mockery, but Hiccup ignored it and only leaned in a little closer.

"As you know, I've been sending out quite a few scouting parties in search of the Dragon Nest lately," Viggo started, tilting his head slightly to see if he had caught Hiccup's interest. He had, as the young man's green eyes were widened, signifying that he was listening. "And just the other day, one of my groups returned with news. They haven't found the Dragon Nest yet, but… they may have found something even better."

Disappointed with the news of the Dragon Nest still being unfound, Hiccup sighed. What could possibly be better than the Dragon Nest? "What?"

Viggo's lips curled up in something that looked to resemble a smile. "My Hunters found a Dragon Sanctuary." At Hiccup's surprised look, he laughed. "Yes, and do you know what else they saw there?"

"I think I'd like to know."

"They spotted a special kind of dragon flying overhead, above the snowy caves and ledges of this island."

"Special kind of dragon?" Hiccup shook his head. "I'm not sure I know what you mean."

Viggo let his hands fall flat against the top of the table, where he slowly drummed his fingers- more of a way to keep the tension rather than to break it. "Oh, I think you do, Hiccup. In fact, I know you do." He leaned forward, lowering his voice. "They spotted that Night Fury you were after. As we are close allies in this war against the dragons, I decided that you had all rights to know about this. You did vow to kill this dragon years ago, didn't you, Dragon Conqueror?"

Still winded from the news, Hiccup whispered, "Yes."

He could hardly believe it. After all this time, after all these years of waiting, searching, fighting… it had all finally paid off. The Night Fury was found. He could at last fulfill his vow to kill the beast.

He could be free.

Clearing his throat, he stood up from his seat, eyes darting about Viggo's cabin. "Thank you for informing me of this, Viggo. Some of my men and I will-"

Viggo cut him off with a raise of his hand. "I'm afraid I can't let you do that, Hiccup," he said. "See, if word were to get out that the Night Fury was found…" He trailed off, a faint smirk of omniscience on his face. "Well, even you know what would happen. Everyone would go after it, putting themselves in danger in the process. Hiccup, Hiccup… you're smarter than that."

Hiccup gradually lowered himself back in his chair, his eyes narrowed. "What are your terms, then?"

The older man grinned, clearly pleased with where the conversation was going. "I'm so glad you asked, Hiccup. To answer your question, my terms are these: tell none of your men of this. No one, not a soul. Second, we will leave as quickly as possible to the Sanctuary. Drago has also been spotted near these waters, and I don't trust waiting any longer."

Hiccup's countenance darkened, and his fists tightened against his lap. "Drago…"

Drago had become a problem shortly after Hiccup and Vigo had made their alliance. Unlike the rest of the archipelago, Drago yearned to dominate the entire world, both dragons and Vikings included. According to Stoick, he was a madman without mercy, though he never told Hiccup why or how he knew this.

"Indeed," Viggo said grimly. "Which is why we need to move quick as possible. Now, do you agree to these terms, Dragon Conqueror?"

Hiccup sighed. "Under one condition."

"And what would that be?"

"I get to be in charge of the mission." When Viggo opened his mouth to disagree, Hiccup continued before he could interrupt. "The Night Fury is mine, Viggo. And frankly, I don't trust your men enough to get the job done right."

Viggo smiled coolly. "But I would also be on this mission, Hiccup. It only makes sens that I would be the one to lead it."

"I need to lead this mission, Viggo. I've waited years for this." Hiccup dipped his head, and leaned back in his rickety chair. "Besides, Berk could overpower you quite easily if I gave the word, and then I'd get one of your men to take me to the Dragon Sanctuary while leading the mission myself." He smirked. The tables were turned, and now he had the upper hand in the situation. "Understand?"

"Is that a threat, Dragon Conqueror?" Viggo said, with an unhumored expression.

"It's only a threat if you make it one."

The older man pursed his lips. "I see your point… fine, fine, you may lead the mission. But, know this, Hiccup…" His voice dropped to a cold whisper. "If I see fit at any time on this mission take control, I will. And I won't hesitate to do it."

Hiccup laughed dryly. "It seems that neither of us are exactly on trusting terms."

"In these times, I'm sorry to say I'm not surprised."

Nodding, Hiccup stood up. "Seems so." He stuck his hand out, waiting for a return handshake. "I'll see you at dawn tomorrow, then."

"Yes."

The two men shook hands, the bargain sealed.

Just as Hiccup turned to leave, Viggo cut him off with a question. "How far are you willing to go, Dragon Conqueror, to kill the Night Fury? Would you put your village in danger in the process? Your fiancé? What about all your men and mine?"

Hiccup felt his fists clench, but he restrained himself from turning back to Viggo. He had to be calm. Clear minded. Focused. _For_ _everyone_. "I'll do whatever it takes to do my duty as the Dragon Conqueror. Nothing more, nothing less."

He shook his head.

"Now if you'll excuse me, I'll be going now."

Viggo didn't answer for a moment, leaving a pregnant silence in the room. Finally, he said, "Be careful of your actions, Hiccup. Some day you may do something you'll long regret, and there will no coming back from it."

Hiccup scowled. "Whatever you say, Viggo. Well… I suppose I'll see you tomorrow."

Then he was gone.

* * *

She felt yet another longing to see her family once more as she patted her dragon, Cloudjumper, on her side. It had been twenty ones years since she had last seen her husband and son, and she wondered if they were still even alive what with these growing rashes of dragon raids.

 _I want to see them again,_ she realized with a start. _I want to see what my village has become..._

But then again, she couldn't leave all of the dragons behind. The dragons she'd sworn to protect at all costs. The dragons she'd chosen over her own family. Drago was drawing nearer by the month, and soon he would strike. Yet… what if her family needed her? What if her son was just like her? No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't get the thought out of her mind. And, plus… it wasn't like she could never go back.

She had to face her past.

So, soon she would go back to her son. Soon, she would return... Soon, she would try and make thing right… with her little Hiccup.

She gave her dragon another thoughtful pat.

 _Soon._


	3. Voyage

**A/N: *kicks open door* I'm hommmmmeeeeee! With Chapter 3. :D Thank you folks for your reviews, faves, and follows last chapter, it means the world. :)**  
 **Anyway, I've been having a really really bad writer's block lately, so that's why I haven't updated my other stories for a few weeks. Sorry! :(**

 **DISCLAIMER: Story requested by the amazing, the awesome, and the incredible TheWizardRider! And beta'd by the wonderful animalsarepeopletoo.**

* * *

 **Chapter Three: Voyage**

The Dragon Hunters were clearly in a rush to set sail, Hiccup noted as he watched several men scurry across the slippery deck of the ship, shouting orders to the rest of the crew to set sail. He yawned, finding his eyelids heavy from the little sleep he'd managed to get the night before. This could finally be the time when he would find the Night Fury at last. Maybe even the Dragon Nest, the place Vikings had been searching for what seemed to be forever.

The prospect of killing the Night Fury made him smile, but still a pang of uneasiness jabbed from deep inside hit him. He bit back a foul curse. Even after six years of constant, gruesome dragon killing, he could never shake that unclean feeling he always felt when slaughtering the Night Fury came into mind.

And he didn't know why. After all, he was a Viking. Vikings were supposed to be fearless. Brave warriors. No fear of repercussions at all. It was an occupational hazard, really.

True, he didn't look like much of a Viking as anyone else did. His arms were still thin and almost scraggly, his figure remained lean despite the hearty meals he'd forced himself to enjoy in the past years, and true, he'd grown taller and smarter since those years- but it wasn't the same as being a Viking.

"You okay?"

Hiccup looked up from his stare on the ground to meet Astrid's worry gaze from beside him, her eyes wide and worried. They reminded him of ice on a cold winter's day, so hard yet so fragile. "Y-yeah, I'm fine," he was able to say.

It had taken a lot of convincing on Astrid's part for Hiccup to allow her to come along, but eventually he'd given into her requests and granted her permission to be on the voyage. At first, he'd been skeptical. Astrid was his fiancé, as of a few months back, which made her one of the most important people in the world to him. If anything happened to her during the hunt, he'd never forgive himself.

But then again, it was Astrid. He knew better than anyone else that she could handle herself in just about any situation, no matter how arduous it was. And he respected and loved her for that.

"Hey, Hic- I mean, _Dragon Conqueror_. We're about to set sail!" Snotlout yelled over from the opposite side of the deck, who was standing along with Fishlegs and the twins beside him as they helped out the crew with the boat's sails.

Yes. Of course, one thing led to another, and before Hiccup had even known it, Snotlout, Fishlegs, Ruffnut, and Tuffnut had all volunteered to go along on the voyage with him as well. When he had refused, the others pointed out that if Astrid got to come along, then so should they. Hiccup had no choice but to let them.

"Fine, then!" Hiccup called back, leaning against the sturdy mast behind him. "I'm ready to go."

Astrid nodded in agreement, her fingers drifting slightly near the axe at her side. "Six whole years of waiting, and now we've got a real chance. It's... unimaginable. I can't believe it, Hiccup."

Hiccup smiled grimly over at her. "Me either." He sighed, thinking about what would happen if he did find the Night Fury after all this time, and what would be expected of him to do. He swallowed back a grimace. No- he couldn't be weak now. He had promised his tribe years back to do what needed to be done, and wasn't about to go back on his word.

"You're doing it again."

His eyes flicked back up to Astrid's, and he quirked an eyebrow. "Doing what?"

"Overthinking everything." The blonde sighed, and slung a surprisingly gentle arm around his shoulder. "Hiccup, relax. We'll find the Night Fury, and then even the Nest. Berk will be safe, and it'll all be because of you." She grinned, and playfully punched his right arm. "Just what you wanted."

Hiccup yelped at the sudden jolt of pain, pulling away from her. "What was _that_ for?"

"I told you. Overthinking everything."

"Yeah, well, I can't help it." He subconsciously bit down on his bottom lip, wondering for the umpteenth time if going after the Night Fury was really the best way to go, or if there was somehow a way out of it... he found none. "I'll relax when this is all over. Until then…" He shook his head, troubled.

Astrid paused, and she opened her mouth to say something before she was interrupted by the deep voice of Viggo. The Grimborn marched over to them, hands folded behind his back. Hiccup stood up straight, and made sure his face was wiped clear of emotion while he listened to what the man was telling him.

"I see you've brought along a few of your comrades, have you, Hiccup?" Viggo mused, arriving at Hiccup's spot.

Hiccup nodded. "I have."

"Well, I would advise you to double check your warriors' commitance to this voyage. There's no turning back after the ship sets sail."

The young man's fists itched to clench, but he forced himself to remain calm. "I assure you, Viggo, my _friends_ are ready for whatever comes their way, and are ready to help with whatever they need to assist with. They chose to come, and I let them." He sent the Grimborn a look as frosty as the weather. "So, when do we leave?"

Viggo's upper lip curled into a smile. "Now, in face, dear Hiccup... _now.._."

And the ship pulled away from the harbor.

* * *

The dragons were unusually anxious today, making her worry. True, there'd often be scuffles among the wild creatures, as their blood burned hot for fighting, but this time... it was different. Only a few dragons had managed to gather up the courage to slip out of the Sanctuary for a few minutes, and then returned with troubled expressions.

Even Cloudjumper, the dragon she'd dubbed fearless was acting more jittery than usual at feeding time. At first, she assumed it was just the first draft of winter coming in, and the dragons were having trouble adjusting as they did every year, but it soon was apparent there was something more.

Something was out there.

She didn't know what it was- or if it was a what or a who- but she knew it was dangerous to make the dragons behave as they were now.

The Night Fury she had been sheltering for nearly six years now paced up beside her, his eyes wide with concern and worry. He let out a soft growl, sitting himself down slowly. She scratched at his ears, murmuring comforting things to console him, but it didn't even faze the dragon.

She tensed. Something big was coming their way, and she didn't even know what.

She shivered, and pulled her cloak tighter around her shoulders. It seemed that as winter came… so did their doom.

* * *

"I-it's too foggy to see clearly, b-but I think th-there's an island ahead!"

"An island? Where?"

"Dead ahead, maybe a half mile away!"

"Where-... oh… yes, I see it! Come on, men, due south, we've got an island to go to!"

The crew was in a sudden frenzy from the news, and the once-quiet deck was erupting filled with excited Hunters. It had been over a day since they had set sail from Berk, and it had been a long, cold, and difficult journey to get where they were now. At first they hadn't even known if they were going in the right direction, as the impenetrable fog was making everything blurry.

But now, they were getting somewhere. There was an island ahead. And an island was exactly what they were searching for.

Hiccup grasped the side of the ship anxiously, peering out into the foggy waters ahead as his eyes searched for the island that had been spotted. He saw a black smudge against the horizon, but the murky setting around him prevented anything else to come into view.

"Dragon Conqueror, would you like us to ready the bola cannons?"

He lifted his brow in surprise, and turned around to see a bulky Hunter before him, waiting for orders. He frowned. "Yes, go and get them ready. If that Night Fury suddenly comes into sight, I don't want to be unprepared with nothing to shoot it down. But only shoot on my orders- wait until I say something."

The Dragon Hunter nodded. "As you wish, Dragon Conqueror." He hurried off, leaving Hiccup alone to watch the growing commotion. His eyes were heavy with sleep deprivation of the past few nights, and he blinked rapidly, trying to clear his mind. An icy wind bit into him, waking him up a little... to his reality.

He was so close, now. So close to finally getting the Night Fury. To getting it all over with. To being _free_.

"Hiccup, look!" Astrid said from beside him, and he turned around once again to face the vast sea stretching out before him. Astrid was pointing towards the black smudge getting closer to them, her eyes showing excited anticipation. "It's getting clearer!"

Hiccup narrowed his eyes, his gaze exploring the horizon with more intensity than before. His mouth made a slight "o" when he saw what Astrid had been trying to point out. The island was becoming more distinctive within the fog, more formed than the smear he had seen before. He could even see the outline of it now.

A hand clamped down on his shoulder, and he looked over to see it was Astrid. She nodded slightly at him, a small smile on her face, and even in that slight movement he was suddenly washed away from his present concerns and only focused on her. He was grateful for the comfort, and lifted up his quaking hand to press it down on hers.

The moment soon broke when Viggo's voice rang out from behind them, loud and clear. "Continue forward, men. That's the island we're looking for. That's the island of the _Night Fury_!"

Hiccup felt himself stiffen as the crew cheered, but at Astrid's worried glance, he made himself relax. He wasn't usually this jumpy around her, he thought with a scowl, and now she'd think he was turning weak, or soft, or something else horrible. Clearing his strangely thick throat, he looked back at the approaching island.

It was closer, now. Much closer. He could almost smell the dragons that lived there… he could almost feel the Night Fury's looming presence...

Over the next half hour, the Hunters worked hard on steering the boat around the occasional icebergs, and soon all three of the Dragon Hunter ships were right in the island's icy waters, placed in a sudden halt.

A festive cheer rang out from the Dragon Hunters as they enjoyed their accomplishment, but Hiccup didn't even smile. He knew what soon had to be done, and the unclean feeling once again overwhelmed him. Between the thought of killing the Night Fury and the long, hard voyage there, he felt like he might be sick. _Pfft. The_ Dragon Conqueror _doesn't get_ sick, _mutton-head... stop being so weak..._

He pushed away his battling thoughts, and pulled back from Astrid's grasp. "I'm going to get a longboat ready so I can go ashore," he explained, slowly backing away. "The other men will bring bola cannons and bows, and we'll take down the Night Fury then."

Astrid nodded firmly, waving him off. "Then go. And I'll be here waiting for you." She gave him a warm smile, and he grinned back.

"See you soon, milady."

Then he was off.

* * *

The dragons were going wild by now, and she soon saw the reason why. Three large ships were approaching the island, their sails barely flapping in the slight wind. She crept away from the long ice platform she always used as a lookout, and back inside to the warmth of the Sanctuary, bewildered.

The boats did not have Drago's symbol upon them, but another- one she had never seen before.

The Night Fury nudged her side, growling. She looked down at the beautiful dragon, and gave him a small smile. "Don't worry, my friend. Whatever these men want, we will overpower them." Her grip tightened on her staff. "We must protect the Alpha, as he protects us."

The dragon let out another growl, backing away to the exit of the Sanctuary. She understood, and reluctantly nodded. "Go, my friend. Do what you must."

The Night Fury roared, his green eyes filling with their inner blackness. And with his claws outstretched, he leapt up into the air and soared off.

* * *

Getting five bola cannons and fifty Dragon Hunters onto a shore of the island- in a mere ten longboats- did not work out as well as Hiccup had first thought, and ended up with several unfortunate men falling in the water, and two of them even swimming back to the regular ship despite the frigid temperatures.

But, their struggles ended up proving to be worth it, and soon the third of Viggo's soldiers and Hiccup were ashore, slightly panting. The ground was completely coated in white snow, and Hiccup was forced to look away from the sudden brightness that he wasn't used to.

Everything was silent, still, and most of all, freezing. He shivered as he marched through the snow up to Viggo, who looked out into the snowy desert before them with a troubled expression. "Viggo!" He arrived at the man's side, straightening. "Since I am in charge of this mission, I think we should spread out, to cover more ground. Every group will take a bola cannon with them. One for every ten men."

Viggo looked skeptical, but did not cut Hiccup off like he had expected him. "If that is what you think is best, Dragon Conqueror, then I will agree." With a faint smirk, he raised his hand and slightly waved a group of Hunters over. "Let's move out, men. At any sign of the Night Fury or any other dragon, Hiccup and I wish to be alerted. Is that clear?"

"Yes, sir!"

"Perfect." Viggo's cheeks twitched with a smile, and after a last nod at Hiccup, he slipped away with the other men.

Hiccup shivered against the rush of winter coldness that hit him, but brushed it off after a few moments of recuperation. He gathered up a group of ten Hunters, and then ordered the rest to do the same. Once they had all split up, going off into different directions of the island, he was left alone with his men, bola cannon, and nothing more.

He found himself looking up into the pale grey sky for any signs of the Night Fury, fists clenched so tight in anxiousness that he started to fear he'd crack a bone or something if he squeezed any harder. The whole situation was stressful enough- and then the Hunters started to talk amongst themselves.

"Wonder if we'll find anything…"

"Don't think so. Looks too cold for any dragons to be hanging around."

"Don't they go into hibernation or somethin' around this time of year?"

"Of course not, idiot. They-"

Suddenly, the nearly muted roar of a dragon rang out, and the Hunters stopped in their tracks, alarmed. "Did you hear that?" one whined, voice trembling with fear. "That was a dragon! What in Midgard would one o' those be out in this weather?"

"Quiet!" Hiccup snapped, holding up a hand to get the silence he so desperately needed. The cold bit into him harshly, but he remained still, as did the other Hunters. For a long time, the heavy quietness sunk down upon them, and even the whispers of the wind did nothing to harm it. Hiccup bit his lip, his posture relaxing. "All right, men. Continue-"

 _Rrrroooaaarrr!_

His head flew upwards to the sky, and his eyes widened as a small, black shape flew overhead, screaming. _Roaring._ Only a dragon could have made that roar, and only one very special type of dragon made that kind of a roar.

The Night Fury.

"Night Fury- get down!" a Dragon Hunter howled, diving into the snow. Three other men followed, holding their hands over the back of their heads in uncontrollable fear, but the rest remained standing next to Hiccup; they were spooked, but not scared enough to hide.

Hiccup held back a string of curses as he waded through the deep cold snow over to the bola cannon, wetness seeping through his boots. He had to do everything himself.

"Remain where you are men, and keep an eye on that Night Fury!" he yelled, fumbling for the parts of the bola cannon to get into place. His men responded with a weak murmur of obligation. "Oh, come on, come on," Hiccup muttered to himself as he failed to get the straps into the right place for the fifth time. "This can't be happening now, _no_ …"

"Dragon Conqueror! The Night Fury is headed our way again!"

Hiccup grimaced, and tried once more to get the bola cannon into place. "Just another moment… and…" The straps clicked into place, the net was locked in, and his mouth curved into a wide grin. "Yes!"

The Night Fury's roar interrupted his celebration, but did little to douse his joy. He knew that once his aim was locked on the dragon, he wouldn't miss. _A Viking never misses a second time,_ his father had told him several times before.

And now Hiccup believed it.

He grabbed the handles of the cannon, pulling it forcefully into the opposite direction and upwards. The Night Fury was coming towards them, flying at impossible speeds with a lavender blast building up in its throat.

Hiccup panted, edging the bola cannon into a better aiming place. He couldn't miss now. He was so _close_...

 _So close._

Holding his breath, he released the trigger of the cannon.

And that was when all hell broke loose.


	4. Confrontation

**A/N: Hello, hello, wonderful people! Thank you for your lovely reviews last chapter, and I hope you'll enjoy this one too. :D Sorry about not updating for the past 2 days! On Saturday, I had a really bad headache, leaving me unable to do, like, anything… and just yesterday, on Sunday, I was nearing the end of this chapter, when BAM. Our power goes out (there was a bad storm going on), AND IT DELETES EVERYTHING I WROTE SO FAR OF THIS CHAPTER. :/ I am so ticked off right now, and so sorry this chapter is so late! Also, don't expect this to be too good because I had to rewrite the whole thing from scratch, and I'm really just tired of this whole thing… *sigh* Anyways, I got some bad news. I won't be able to update every Saturday anymore… You see, inspiration for this story is kinda lost… and I just get really stressed out every time I realize I have to update, and I've been having more headaches than usual lately. So… yeah, it's just really hard, guys. I'll keep updating The Dragon Conqueror, but not as often as I used to... I'm really really sorry. But I just can't force myself to write something that I don't have a lot of inspiration for, or that my health won't permit. :( So, random updates for now on… yeah. :/**

 **DISCLAIMER: Story requested by the amazing, the awesome, and the incredible TheWizardRider! And beta'd by the wonderful animalsarepeopletoo.**

* * *

 **Chapter Four: Confrontation**

The Night Fury let out a blood-curdling cry of both pain and regret as the ropes wrapped around it, pressing its wings against its side, therefore trapping it.

With no way to fly any longer, the dragon fell down from the snowy sky and landed with a gruesome _thud_ on the white powder below. Hiccup's eyes widened as he panted, fingers slipping from the cannon's levers in his shock. It had _worked_. He had finally done it. He had shot down the Night Fury, at last. Berk would be rid of the deadly dragon that had plagued its land for many, many years.

But instead of gaining the elated feeling of accomplishment he had first expected, he just felt... nothing. That, and and a sort of emptiness; a pang of guilt hit him as he watched the Night Fury struggle helplessly on the ground against the ropes that would not break even for a dragon as deadly as itself. His men sent up a cheer that the gods could hear, confident with themselves now that the dragon was down and at their mercy. Because everyone knew the old saying... a downed dragon was a dead dragon.

After slipping his metal mask over the top of his face, Hiccup drew his sword, Inferno, and pushed past the Hunters without a second thought. "Everyone, stand back," he ordered, voice gruff with determination. "The Night Fury is _mine_."

All the Hunters nodded obediently, knowing just how skilled the Dragon Conqueror was with his famed fire sword. He was not one to be trifled with.

Hiccup moved over to the fallen dragon with caution, sword flaming and ready to kill. He swallowed as he grew even closer to his target, already envisioning the sickening crimson scene blood that would be spilt on the snow that day. _It's for Berk,_ he told himself. _It's for the archipelago. No one is safe with that monster around. You're doing the right thing._

The Night Fury growled from its sideways position, its eyes glaring over at Hiccup. It once again fumbled to get loose, but to no avail. Hiccup smirked faintly as he began to bridge the gap between them, but then pulled to a complete halt. He raised Inferno with both of his hands, the blade positioned downwards so it could pierce the dragon's heart.

"I'm going to kill you, dragon," he said, words almost seething with hate. "I'm going to cut out your heart and take it back to my island, and show everyone that the Dragon Conqueror does _not_ fail when he is needed. I... am a Viking."

The Night Fury huffed, and Hiccup glared with more ferocity than before, if that were possible.

"I am a _Viking_!"

With another moan, the dragon laid its head back in the snow. But this moan wasn't the same as before... it was horribly different. It was defeated. It was lost. It was giving up. It couldn't fight back while it was tied in ropes, no matter how hard it pulled. There was no escaping death this time.

Hiccup swallowed, grasping the sword tighter. He closed his eyes, preparing for the final plunge.

Then something very odd happened. He heard his men shouting in alarm, all yelling things he couldn't quite understand...

...when suddenly he was hit over the top of his head by an unseen object, and despite the hard helmet he wore that protected him, his already limited vision blackened, and he was succumbed to a world of darkness in moments.

* * *

She had seen the Night Fury go down, and she knew she had to act before it was too late.

Hidden in the grey skies filled with a cold pallor, she directed her dragon, Cloudjumper, to hover above the figure approaching the Night Fury, and narrowed her eyes. What cruel being could kill such an innocent creature as the Night Fury? Certainly one of no good.

"Down, Cloudjumper," she whispered, voice hardly audible in caution of being heard.

Cloudjumper silently lowered her body down through the air, until she was hovering just above the icy ground, and behind the figure that was preparing to slay the Night Fury. Blood burning with fury and determination, she leapt off her dragon's back, staff raised, and struck it down upon the person's head.

The figure immediately crumpled to the ground, unconscious, and she blew out a breath of relief. There. The Night Fury was now safe.

"Now to get you free," she said softly, inspecting the ropes that bonded the Night Fury in a tight knot. His wings were wrapped against his sides in an obviously painful way, and as her eyes drifted down to the dragon's tail… she held in a gasp. Half of the beautiful creature's tailfin was missing, lost in the thick snow to never be found again.

There was no blood. Only emptiness where something should have been.

 _Another dragon wounded,_ she thought, biting back an unladylike curse. _By those horrid Dragon Hunters!_

Her angry thoughts were interrupted by the loud groaning of the limp figure next to her, and she looked his prostrate figure with a start. It was a young man, she realized, covered head to toe in thick armor and a helmet. His hands were gradually making their way up to his head, before they held it in a grimace, clearly in pain.

She spared no pity for him. He had permanently injured a dragon, and for that she could never forgive.

The man gave another groan, before he slowly sat up, seeming confused with where he was and why he was on the cold ground. She tensed, her grip on her staff tightening. If only she had thought to bring a knife along with her to rescue to the Night Fury, then she could have cut the dragon's bonds free and he could have raced off to freedom. Then again, she hadn't expected the dragon to end up crippled, as he was now.

"Cloudjumper," she said loudly, gesturing to the Night Fury with her staff. "Bring him to safety."

The dragon cooed, worried to leave her rider, but a few seconds later she obeyed and gripped the Night Fury's ropes tightly. A moment after, she propelled herself off the ground, the Night Fury safely in her grasp.

She turned her head to the dazed man on the ground, filled with fury. He was just beginning to stand up, and had realized what had hit him. "Who are _you_?" he asked in a low, steady voice, but it also betrayed a hint of fear. "What do you want?"

She did not answer, but only swung her staff in his direction angrily. He was quick to dodge out of the way this time, and straightened himself once he had fully recuperated. "I don't know who you are, but you'd better back off," he huffed, picking up his fallen sword from the snow. "That dragon was mine. It-"

He looked to his side, and found the Night Fury gone.

He shouted out a string of curses, and then swerved back to her. And though his face was hidden by the metal mask, she sensed he was scowling deeply. "I've been tracking that Night Fury down for _years_! You had no right to interfere! Where did it go?"

She remained silent, and only raised her staff higher with a challenge.

"Oh, so you want a fight? Fine. Then I'll give you one!"

Propelled by the anger and frustration gained by the loss of the Night Fury, he flung himself forward, sword out, and the battle began.

* * *

Hiccup panted as he lunged for the umpteenth time at the figure he was fighting against.

He had no idea whether it was a man or a woman, but he was nonetheless determined to defeat them and take back what was rightfully his. He decided, after stepping out of the path of a particularly nasty blow, that he wouldn't take any more of this. He needed that Night Fury- he had only just found it, after all, and didn't intend to lose it once more.

Hiccup, gritting his teeth together angrily, swung his sword at the person he was fighting, nearly taking their head off. The figure ducked, although, and missed the sword's path. They were experienced in fighting, Hiccup realized. But how? It was the middle of nowhere out here. There was nothing to practice against.

"Look- if you give me back the Night Fury, I won't kill you," he shouted in response to a blow, swiping his sword at the other person's leg.

The staff pushed it away, and the figure remained mute, still fighting as furiously as before. Hiccup's eyes narrowed, and he scowled. _So they wouldn't take him up on his offer, then? Well, that was a mistake they'd soon regret..._

Now, you have to remember that Hiccup was quite the experienced sword fighter. Six years of fighting against dragons and taken under Stoick's firm wing for training had done much to help him with his skills, and he was personally known for his impressive swordsmanship around the archipelago. Even Stoick, the one who had started off Hiccup's teaching, admitted that his son was proving to be a growing challenge during each duel.

The figure seemed unfazed by Hiccup's sudden explosion of anger, though, calmly deflecting each swipe with their staff, and even choosing to roll in the snow to avoid being decapitated.

This, of course, only made Hiccup angrier. His blows grew harsher, his thoughts more muddled in fury than before. He heard some of his men shout encouraging words of approval from nearby, but he ignored them. All he was focused on was defeating this person who defended the Night Fury: that was his one and only goal.

The duel ravaged on for another twenty minutes, at the very least, and finally his opponent showed signs of tiring. Hiccup, eyes gleaming with anticipation, took this as a chance to finally win, and went for the person's weak spot: their hand without the staff.

Another blow from his sword left a welt in the cloaked figure's empty hand, and just as they curled up the hand in pain, he went in for the final strike.

Time seemed to slow for what happened next. One moment his sword was flying towards the figure's side, prepared to sink it into the tender flesh and end another life, the next something crashed into his stomach, propelling him backwards in the snow.

The wind was knocked out of him the moment he landed on his back, and he nearly choked for air as the cold wetness of the snow seeped through his armor. His stomach throbbed from the pressure, and he vaguely wondered what had thrown him as his scattered thoughts condensed.

As he looked back up a moment later, he saw a tall, lean dragon standing in front of the figure- the cause of his fall. Hiccup's fists tightened in anger, but before he could react, the person he had been fighting with climbed onto the dragon's back and the two soared off into the clouds, leaving him behind.

"No!" Hiccup howled, standing up shakily. He kicked at the snow, shouting curses that would make even the gods themselves flinch. "Not again! _No!_ "

When his burst gradually died down, he swerved back to his men to see that they had all fallen silent at his tantrum. Their heads were somewhat bowed, and he wasn't sure if it was in defeat or in pity for him. Angered by the thought, Hiccup stormed by them, posture rigid.

"Come on," he snapped, gesturing for the Hunters to follow him. "We're getting back to the ships. The Night Fury is…" He bit down on his tongue, causing the metallic taste of blood to suddenly swarm to his mouth. "...is gone."

The men murmured sadly, and started to ready the bola cannon for moving.

Hiccup's gaze darkened, and he looked away, feeling more crestfallen than he had in years. His one chance at finally slaying the Night Fury had all gone wrong. He had been so close… more close than he had been in his whole hunt of killing the dragon before, when his whole scheme had been destroyed. In this horrid weather, although, it would be useless searching for anything. Staying here any longer was risky, and he didn't want to freeze to death without another plan ready.

 _This whole trip, all for naught,_ he cursed to himself. _We didn't even get any closer to finding the Dragon Nest than we were six years ago!_

"D-Dragon Conqueror?"

Hiccup turned around furiously, eyes boring into the Dragon Hunters behind him. "What?" he spat, too fueled by the anger and disappointment of losing the Night Fury to control his temper. "What _now_?"

The Hunter looked uneasy, and suddenly gained an unremarkable fascination with the ground. "The cannon… it won't move. It's too deep in the snow."

For a moment, Hiccup froze.

Then he darkly muttered, "The gods must _really_ hate me today..."

He sent filthy curse into the wind, then turned back to go help his men move the weapon. It was only after the fifth try that it managed to budge the slightest of bits, arousing a weak cheer amongst the Dragon Hunters.

Yep.

The gods hated him.

* * *

 **A/N: Sorry for the shortish chapter, guys! It's just really hard to rewrite something you already wrote, you know? :) Well, on a more cheerful note… WHO'S READY FOR RTTE SEASON 5 TRAILER COMING OUT TOMORROW?! I know I am! August 25th is the official release date, I believe, and I am just so excited to get this trailer, ahh! (Hint hint: more of my fics coming once new season is out. *wink wink nudge nudge*) Well, I'll see you guys soon hopefully… argh, stupid headaches and lack of inspiration getting in the way! Grrrr... Well. Ahem. In case I don't see ya again that soon… good afternoon, good evening, and goodnight! (Oh great, I'm quoting The Truman Show. Ain't that nice? ;D) Anywho, have a wonderful you awesome people! Hope this trailer will give us some clues of what will happen next for RTTE! :D**


	5. Reflections

**A/N: …...…. I… *clears throat* Hey, nice to see you all again after… two months. *hits self* I'm sorry, guys. I've been crazy busy, and then inspiration for The Dragon Conqueror kind of fizzled out, so… *shrug* I'm really sorry. *sniff* Well, here's Chapter Five, even as short as it is, (finally), and hope at least some of you are still out there to read. :) Updates will probably be around once to twice a month from now on! Enjoy!**

 **DISCLAIMER: Story requested by the amazing, the awesome, and the incredible TheWizardRider! And beta'd by the wonderful animalsarepeopletoo.**

* * *

 **Chapter Five: Reflections**

Valka Haddock wasn't one to be superstitious, but after seeing the ships' flags that carried the man who had fought her, she was beginning to think otherwise.

Those were Berkian flags- fabric that represented the island she had grown up on. The island her husband was on. The island her son… the son she had abandoned... was on. She had a strange urge to go back and find her little Hiccup. Tell him she was sorry. Tell him she would stay for awhile. But was that even possible now, with this dreadful war going on? But she did need reinforcements or some sort of backup... Maybe, if her son knew she was alive, he would help her... and help her keep the dragons safe. Perhaps not _all_ Vikings hated dragons? She was an exception to the mass of them, after all...

"What do you think, my dear Cloudjumper?" she murmured, reaching up to pat her dragon's scales.

The beast moaned with pleasure, closing her eyes, a slight shiver running down her spine.

Valka smiled. "I guess we don't have a choice if we are to keep the sanctuary. Back to Berk we go in a few days." She cast a look out of the ice cave. "And we'll take the Night Fury. He can't be left on his own. He's crippled now."

Her brow furrowed.

"And whoever this 'Dragon Conqueror' is that they speak of…" She swerved away, storming towards the Night Fury's quarters. " _He shall pay!"_

* * *

Nothing?" Stoick asked, his face sagging with disappointment.

"Nothing," Hiccup repeated bitterly, already stomping away from the harbor. He didn't want to tell his father about what had happened. How he had finally shot down the Night Fury, but then lost it to a masked figure he had fought out in the snow. And lost against.

Viggo hadn't helped things, either. All the way back to Berk, he had chided Hiccup about losing the fight with the masked man- if it even _was_ a man- and threatened to cut their alliance off if anything happened like that again. Hiccup had managed to pacify him at the moment, but he knew their small treaty was wearing thin.

"Son, wait," Stoick pressed, but Hiccup was intent on not talking.

"I wouldn't push him, Stoick," Astrid sighed from beside him. "He's gone through a lot these past few days."

Stoick cocked an eyebrow. "But he said he hadn't found anything?"

"He found more than he let onto. But I'll let him open up when he wants to." Astrid shook her head. "Hopefully, he'll feel better later. I'll do what I can."

Stoick somehow managed a smile, though his creased brow spoke otherwise. "Thank you, lass. I'll try and talk to him later." He ran a hand down his face, feeling exhausted. "Meanwhile, the dragon raids have gotten worse. Winter's coming, and the beasts can sense it. More supplies stocked up... more opportunities for the devils to get more than they did earlier."

Astrid scowled. "Any deaths?"

"A few. And we're not any closer to finding the Nest." Stoick furrowed his brow. "Are you absolutely sure, lass, that you didn't find anything on your expedition? Any clues to whereas the nest might be, or the Night Fury?"

Astrid slowly shook her head. "No, sir. We didn't find what you were looking for.'

"All right, then." Stoick chose not to ask for her to elaborate. "Now, let's go find Hiccup. Who knows what sort of trouble he's gotten himself into already." Laughing, he wrapped an arm around Astrid's shoulder and directed her up the docks. "That boy's a trouble magnet."

"You have no idea," Astrid murmured, rolling her eyes.

* * *

It only took a day of steady flying before Berk appeared over on the horizon, gleaming in the last vibrant rays of sunlight.

Despite that, Valka felt a chill run up her spine and clutched the Night Fury she was flying closer. This was it. The place she had been taken from, the place she had left behind. The place that went against everything she believed in. The place where her abandoned son and husband were.

Berk.

The Night Fury snarled, and Valka rubbed at a sensitive spot on his neck to calm him. "Easy, dragon," she whispered. "We will be arriving very soon. And then we shall find out who this 'Dragon Conqueror' is." Her brow pinched together. "He crippled you, and he will pay."

The dragon's tail twitched.

A faint smile twitched at the corners of Valka's mouth. "Yes, we will be arriving soon. To Berk."

A beat passed.

"To home."

* * *

"What do you mean, we can't pull off on another voyage again?" Hiccup nearly shouted at the captain of one of his ships. "We're still looking for the Nest! We have time-"

"No, we don't, Dragon Conqueror," the man interrupted, tone polite but warning. "Winter has already set in over a good piece of the archipelago. Looking for the Nest would be useless in this weather." He nodded up at the grey sky. "Snow's already gathering, as you can see."

Hiccup's fists clenched, and he sucked in a breath. "Fine. _Fine._ When can we pull out next, then?

The captain scratched his chin. "Oh, I'd say around…" He thought for a long moment. "I'd say in three to four months it'd be safe enough to go out again."

"Three to four… _three to four months?"_ Hiccup exploded, unable to control his frustration. "No, we're not waiting that long! By then, half of our food supply will have been taken by dragons and the other half long gone by us!"

The captain winced. "Dragon Conqueror-"

"No, I don't want to hear it." Hiccup crossed his arms tightly, refusing to admit defeat. "Hasn't enough been said?"

" _Hiccup,"_ the seaman emphasized, addressing the young man by his real name.

Hiccup slowly turned to him, shaking his head. "What? We have to wait _five_ months now?"

The other man was unaffected by his insults. "Dragon Conqueror, you've… changed in these past few months. You're completely driven by your hate for the Night Fury, and all dragons…"

"I wouldn't call it a hate," Hiccup muttered.

"Then what is it?"

 _The urge to prove myself to my village,_ Hiccup wanted to say, but held back. He wasn't going to tell anyone that. Not his father or even Astrid knew what his so-called "obsession with hunting down the Night Fury" really was He just wanted to kill the beast and get this whole "proving himself" thing over with.

"Maybe two and a half months."

Hiccup looked up, confused. "What?"

The captain nodded. "Maybe two and a half months from now we could set sail again in search of the Nest. Depends on the ice, though. It can get awful thick this time of year, and I'd hate to see anybody stuck in it."

Hiccup sighed. "Yes, well let me know." He smiled apologetically. "And sorry, you know... for yelling."

The other man grinned. "Aye, you've got a temper at that. But don't worry, lad. Everything'll turn out all right. It always does."

"I hope so."

Hiccup turned away, heading back up the docks in a troubled manner.

But the thing neither of the men noticed was the dragon perched in the grove of trees next to them, where a woman cloaked in armor sat on top of a Night Fury, stunned. For she had heard every word the two men had transpired.

The younger one was the Dragon Conqueror.

And the younger one was also Hiccup. Her son. The son she had abandoned.

The color drained from her cheeks, turning her nearly as white as the snow on the ground around her. "Oh, Hiccup… son... what have they done to you?"

* * *

Hiccup kicked at the same tree again, mumbling a string of incoherent words when his foot stung at the impact. He clutched it for relief.

"Gods darn it all," he growled, leaning against the tree with his furious eyes glaring at the ground. "Everything's messed up… Night Fury got away… who even was that masked person… who do they think they are, anyway... they should never have confronted _me_ … I'm the Dragon Conqueror… I'm the Heir of Berk... I'm... I'm…"

He paused, anger slowly fading.

"I'm me."

He kicked at the dirt again.

" _Now_ what am I supposed to do? The raids are getting worse, I can't help anyone… I can't _do_ anything... I can't protect my village..." The anger suddenly returned, fueling him even more than before. He stomped away from the tree, yelling at the sky, " _What do you want from me? Haven't you done enough?"_

He was met with silence.

Hiccup's eyes flashed. "Answer me! I don't know _why_ you're doing all of this, but _stop it_!"

Nothing.

"Just _help me!_ I don't know what to do! Should I go after the Night Fury again? Winter's here, so I can't leave Berk. So what…" He folded his arms, staring crossly at another tree. "So what do you expect me to do? Let my village _starve_? Freeze to death? Go back to being _useless?_ "

Apparently, the gods had no answer for him. That, or they found his distress amusing.

There continued to be nothing. No miraculous bolt of lightning or thunder. No booming call of Odin. Not even a bird cried back at his tantrum. Only a cool wisp of the wind surrounded him.

Grunting, Hiccup kicked the same tree again, but this impact was directed at a better angle. This time, the sting didn't hurt as much, but it didn't seem to affect the tree at all. Not even the tiniest piece of bark was affected. _Gods..._ he couldn't even make that small of an impact!

Chest heaving, Hiccup backed up against the tree and slipped down to the ground. What _was_ he supposed to do now? His father was already struggling with getting enough food for the village as winter was drawing nearer, and now that his venture to find the Nest had been a failure, it just added to the pile of problems. And it didn't help, he reflected, that no ships could leave the harbor for three months.

"Please… _help me,"_ he murmured, to anyone who was listening. Whether it was the gods, a wild animal, or even just the wind, he didn't care.

He just needed _help._

Suddenly, his thoughts were broken by the sound of leaves crunching faintly off in the distance. But not so far away that he couldn't hear them clearly.

They were drawing nearer, not further away, and he jumped to his feet, alarmed. Who was out there? He was one of the only people, besides his friends, who ventured out into these woods. And he knew that all of them would announce their presence if they were looking for him. Whatever was making that noise meant trouble...

Slowly backing away, Hiccup peered out from the side of the tree, breathing heavily.

There was a figure up ahead, walking towards him. It seemed distracted, head bent over and footsteps not at all quiet. _Careless_ , Hiccup snorted to himself. _Anyone could sneak up on them._ But the thing that caught Hiccup's attention the most were the two figures _beside_ the person.

They were the figures of... of... of _dragons._

Hiccup's breath was suddenly stolen from him. Who walked around with _dragons_? No one, at least, as far as he had heard. They were deadly, unpredictable beasts. They'd kill you in an instant without a second thought.

"Hey!" he shouted, catching the person's attention.

They seemed to hesitate for a moment, then swerved around and started to dart through the woods, the opposite way.

"Come back here!" Hiccup howled, beginning to sprint after them.

The two dragon figures surprisingly followed the figure running away, almost obediently, easily dodging trees and fallen logs whereas Hiccup had more trouble avoiding them. His lungs burned with the sharp winter air, but he wasn't about to give up.

Who was this person? And why did they have dragons as companions? Was it some sort of trickery? An illusion? Because dragons were deadly... dangerous... one couldn't hang around with them without being killed... Yet with each passing moment, Hiccup began to doubt things he had been told his whole life long. Things he had believed without question. However, there was one thing he _did_ know...

The chase was on.

But this time, he wasn't so sure he would win.


End file.
